Exploring the Technique of Joe Pass

So I'm here studying the beauty of Joe Pass and his incredible technique in the right hand.

Emulating Joe Pass

I think it's impossible to really exactly emulate him because he himself changed his approach throughout his career. In his younger years, he was like many jazz guitarists, using the plectrum. But as he got older and specialized more in the solo jazz performance aspect of his playing, he eschewed the plectrum and just went pure finger style, almost like a classical player.

Personally, I don't have the facility to do that. However, I do love the way he approaches unaccompanied jazz guitar.

My Approach: Hybrid Style

I've kind of reimagined his approach using the hybrid style, which involves having the plectrum between my thumb and index finger. Then, I use the three remaining fingers in much the same way that a classical guitarist would. This allows me to achieve a four-note voicing:

• Lowest note with the plectrum
• Next three notes with the remaining fingers

You can play the chords together or rake for four-note voicings. It's a very nice way to bridge modern jazz guitar and traditional jazz guitar, especially as many of us in the 21st century are using this hybrid technique.

Transitioning Between Harmony and Melody

As you can see, I can move effortlessly between harmony and melody.

• Hybrid: Now just with the plectrum, I'll play some melody.
• Hybrid again: That was just with a plectrum.
• Hybrid again: That was hybrid.

What I'm trying to say is that every time I'm playing chords here, I'm using this hybrid technique of plectrum with fingers. This creates a more classical tone compared to simply picking all the notes with the plectrum, which would sound like this:

• Only using plectrum: It's a much more percussive tone.

There's nothing wrong with it, though. Traditional jazz guitarists, electric jazz guitarists like Jim Hall, and many famous ones such as Tal Farlow and Jimmy Rainey from the '50s played just with the plectrum.

Notable Examples

• Charlie Christian: Perhaps the most famous example of all, he only used downstrokes to play.
• He was almost the founder of electric jazz guitar and never used his fingers, just downstrokes with the pick.

I think it's nice to bridge the fingerstyle jazz guitar of Joe Pass with the very percussive picking style of guitarists like Charlie Christian.

The Hybrid Technique in Action

Using this hybrid technique, you get passages like this:

• Again, I'm moving between hybrid and picking melodies, which is interesting.

I find it difficult to articulate clearly on camera because this technique is so internalized within me. Using fingers with the plectrum allows me to think a bit more like a pianist, which, of course, Joe Pass himself was.

Embracing Your Comfort Zone

If you're really proficient with your fingers, there's no reason I should suggest you stop playing fingerstyle. I'd say:

• Embrace that!
• Especially during unaccompanied performances.

However, if you have a drummer or a bass player or both playing loudly behind you, you might feel that the fingerstyle approach isn't powerful enough. That's why many guitarists began using the plectrum to create a much louder tone.

Conclusion

In the context of unaccompanied music, if fingerstyle makes you comfortable, then definitely play that. For me, this hybrid approach allows me to perform with trios, quartets, orchestras, or even unaccompanied jazz guitar.

I think it's important to follow your taste.

Now, let me play a few bars to illustrate how it looks with this hybrid style.

There you go!